BRIDGEWATER — The Town of Bridgewater is pleased to announce a major milestone in its ongoing efforts to improve water quality and increase available water supply, with the new Plymouth Street Water Treatment Facility set to be fully operational by Wednesday, Oct. 21.
On Monday, the facility received approval from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), clearing the way for the Town to use both wells with new treatment systems that remove PFAS, iron and manganese.
Together, Wells 10A and 10B, which will be turned on Wednesday, Oct. 21, are expected to provide approximately 500,000 gallons of water per day. This increases Bridgewater’s available water supply from currently approximately 1.4 million gallons to nearly 2 million gallons per day.
The additional water comes at an important time for Bridgewater. Like many communities across Massachusetts, Bridgewater has faced challenges related to water supply, aging infrastructure and water quality. The Town has also dealt with water quality concerns for more than a decade.
The Town has worked to address these issues through investments in its water system, including the new Plymouth Street facility.
“This is an important day for Bridgewater,” said Town Manager Justin Casanova-Davis. “We know how difficult the water situation has been for our residents, and we know there is still more work to do. But getting both of these wells into service is a major milestone for our community and a major improvement for our water system. It means more water is available to meet our community’s needs, and it’s a project we’ve worked hard to get to this point. A lot of hard work, collaboration, and diligence went into making this happen, and I am pleased the team met our goal of constructing this treatment facility and introducing these wells into our water system in less than a year. While this portion of the project is done, there is still other work to be done, and we will continue to make prudent investments in our water system for the future.”
The Plymouth Street facility is equipped with greensand filtration systems to remove iron and manganese, as well as new filtration systems designed to remove PFAS, a group of chemicals found in drinking water supplies across Massachusetts and the country.
“Having these two wells available again gives us a lot more flexibility in how we manage the Town’s water supply,” said Water Superintendent William Young. “The new treatment systems allow us to use these water sources while meeting water quality standards. Adding approximately 500,000 gallons per day to our available supply is a big improvement, especially during periods of high demand.”
Well 10B has historically helped meet the Town’s water demands but was not previously equipped with these treatment systems. The new facility allows the Town to treat water from both Wells 10B and 10A before it enters the distribution system. This is the first treatment facility in Bridgewater that treats for PFAS.
Construction has progressed over the past several months, including the installation of iron and manganese treatment equipment, delivery and placement of the PFAS filtration vessels and final work to prepare the system for operation.
While the additional water supply represents a major improvement, the Town continues to pursue other infrastructure projects and long-term solutions to improve water capacity, quality and reliability
“I want to thank our residents and businesses for their patience and cooperation throughout this process, as well as the Town staff, engineers and contractors who have worked to make this project possible,” said Town Council President Paul Murphy. “This is an important investment in Bridgewater’s future, and we look forward to continuing this work.”
Residents can learn more about the Town’s ongoing water infrastructure projects and track progress through the Water System Improvement Dashboard on the Town’s website.
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